Stephen Bailey

Stephen Bailey took a job with PEC several years ago because it gave him the opportunity to move up.

Originally a senior project manager, he was hired by PEC as manager of the engineering firm's environmental department.

Now, at 57, he is sending out résumés and doing some contract work for local governments, including the city of Orlando. His income is "almost enough to survive on," he says. For now it supplements his unemployment benefits, though he almost lost those benefits as a result of the contract work.

"It's been a battle," he said. "I actually had a hearing where I had to go through and object to some of this, trying to get stuff resolved."

Bailey has a bit of a financial cushion: He lives on the south side of Winter Park with his girlfriend, who also works in engineering. Both of them worried about her position after Bailey lost his job, but, he said, "it seems to be a little more stable for her now than it was previously."

Some former PEC workers in their 50s and 60s have worried that age discrimination could hinder their search for a new job, but Bailey says he's not concerned. "I think, with engineering, experience counts a lot," he said.

With a son living in Sanford, Bailey wants to stay in Central Florida, so he hasn't expanded his job search beyond the region. He's mining personal contacts more than he's mailing résumés, because companies are so flooded with applications.